3 sizable offseason wins for Carolina Panthers GM Dan Morgan in 2024
By Dean Jones
Dan Morgan was given a thankless task by the Carolina Panthers this offseason. His promotion to general manager came with mixed reviews thanks to his previous association with Scott Fitterer. However, team owner David Tepper felt confident in his ability to form a legitimate long-term plan for success.
It's been a rollercoaster few months for Morgan. He was part of the old regime, which prepared him fully for the mess inherited. Considering the difficult circumstances attached, the new front-office leader has done a decent job.
Not every decision received widespread approval. Morgan also admitted that not every problem was going to be solved immediately. Things could get worse before they get better, but Carolina's long-suffering fanbase can relax safe in the knowledge there is a project in place at last.
With this in mind, here are three sizable wins Morgan managed to accomplish during his first offseason at the helm in 2024.
Carolina Panthers removed deadwood
One of the biggest factors behind the previous regime's demise was bad signings and even worse contracts. Very few of their acquisitions met even modest expectations. Almost all of them were handed deals above their projected pay grade. It was a complete disaster from start to finish.
Dan Morgan had a choice to make this offseason. After much deliberation, he opted to remove the deadwood in one fell swoop despite the minimal financial savings attached.
The likes of Hayden Hurst, Donte Jackson, Vonn Bell, and Bradley Bozeman were deemed surplus to requirements. Morgan ripped the band-aid swiftly for a more prosperous future. This was the right call to make, especially considering not much is expected of the Carolina Panthers during their first season under new head coach Dave Canales in 2024.
If the Panthers are in a better position to contend next spring and beyond, Morgan now boasts the financial flexibility to become bigger players in free agency. That's the theory everyone is now working towards as part of Carolina's collaborative vision for the future.